Difference between revisions of "Vault of Glass Hard Mode Guide"

Revision as of 22:59, 3 October 2014

See also: Vault of Glass and Vault of Glass Loot

Preparation

• If players complete Vault of Glass Hard Mode before Normal mode for the week, players will receive double the Loot from Hard Mode and nothing from Normal Mode. In other words players do not need to complete Normal Mode if they just do Hard Mode.

• Grab ammo synthesis. A lot of them. I suggest a minimum of 20 each to ensure that you can always resupply if you find yourself out of ammo.

• Gather your best gear. Your armor should bring you up to a minimum level of 29 and your weapons should either be exotics, upgraded legendaries, or VoG loot drops (Atheon's Epilogue, Praedyth's Revenge, etc). Remember, all of the enemies that have shields in the Vault will be Void-Based.

• Ensure that your team does the same and each has a "Wingman" in mind that they have played with before and know their playstyle. A lot of the work in the Vault can be broken up into groups of two or three and having this unit cohesion in mind before tackling this challenge is a good idea.

Opening the Gates

This is the first challenge you will face after loading into the game.

1. Split up into three teams of equal skill and strength. Lower team (far left), Middle team, and Upper team (far right).

2. Capture the Plates. If ever one should fall, you NEED to re-capture it as fast as possible. Remember, you can respawn and revive in this section so use that to your advantage. You won't have it much longer.

3. Call out if help is needed. If they do their job right, Middle team should be able to assist upper and lower with larger enemies or far-away enemies if they also have snipers. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you are feeling overwhelmed. Chances are that is exactly what is happening.

• NOTE: There is/are (1) chest(s) between this stage and the next. Find it/them for a chance at an amazing loot drop.

The Templar

If you have done the VoG at all before attempting this (which you should since you're in for a world of hurt anyway), then you know the Templar boss fight has three distinct stages, two of which can be made easy so long as everyone does their job correctly. However, if even one of your squadmates dies, your whole team needs to wipe. Without the ability to revive, you will easily be overtaken without your sixth. Just start from scratch and plan to improve for next time. Your goal is to be flawless, aim for it and you will be surprised how close you can get.

Phase 1: The Confluxes

Set up teams of two and locate enemy spawn positions, gain line of sight on them from a secure location, and pretend you're farming the Cave of Wonders in Old Russia (RIP). Like before, you must make callouts whenever possible and assist when you can afford to. Feel out your enemies and make adjustments to teams when needed.

Phase 2: The Oracles

Remember those pillars the Hobgoblins had been shooting you from in your previous run? Yea, they had the right idea. Locate a pillar floating away from the main platform and make sure it has Line of Sight (Going to be abbreviated to LoS from now on) of at least two oracles. Post up with your coffee and a rifle cause this is where you are going to be for the rest of this stage. Just watch out for Hobgoblins since they will still be spawning on those platforms as well as others around the arena.

Phase 3: The Templar

I hope you can jump like a jackrabbit cause this part is a little tricky. Leave your most competent jumper in the center to grab the Relic and head over to the left side of the stadium. There you will see two platforms jutting out far from the arena. make your way over to the one with the large wall since you and your team will need to hide behind it for cover. After everyone is there safe and sound, signal for the Relic holder to grab the Relic and make their way over to you. Remember, as soon as the Relic is picked up, The Templar will spawn dead center of the arena. If the Relic is dropped for more than five seconds, you will fail either from the game wiping you or you succumbing to the Templar's Ritual of Negation. Use the platform to safely engage the Templar with Snipers and Rifles. Do not even risk using Rockets unless you are sure you can hit him and not the Detain shield that will be placed around your team. Take care of him before Enrage otherwise your poor Relic holder won't be able to cleanse the team fast enough (unless he is a generous God like myself Huehuehue). Rinse and repeat until the boss dies. Then, proceed onto the next challenge.

• NOTE: There is/are (3) chest(s) between this stage and the next. Find it/them for a chance at an amazing loot drop.

The Gorgon's Labyrinth

Ok, now this is a tad tricky. The Gorgons may or may not move in predictable yet tight patterns during this section on hard difficulty. You need to first locate the exit to the next stage and make sure your whole team knows where it is. From there, you will need to locate the gaps in the Gorgons' surveillance routes and carefully make your way through them. If you are going to double jump, make sure you are far enough away from the enemy before attempting to do so. They will move if they hear you and it can easily screw your teammates that are following you. This is all trial and error, but the Bladedancer Hunters can clear this section easily... Damn sneaky sneaks with their stealth and stuff.

The Pit of Despair

This section has flashing platforms... That are nifty I guess. You can actually clear this section without touching a single one of these things. All you need to do is make your way to the right-most starting platform available and locate the ledge on the wall across the chasm. Once you have found it use your super hardcore parkour jumping skills to make your way to this ledge. Once you land with a sliver of health, shimmy your way to the entrance to the final area. Once again, this will take a lot of trial and error to find the right way. Striker Titans with Shoulder Charge can easily perform the jumps as I just described, but Hunters and Warlocks have a harder time finding their way across.

The Glass Throne: Atheon, Time's Conflux

Phase 1: The Conflux of DOOM

Once you enter the room, kill the Gatekeeper and anyone stupid enough to keep you from an audience with Atheon. After the Gatekeeper is down, you will be able to open the portals to Mars and Venus (Left and Right respectively). Split up into teams of two and tackle each portal at once. Why both at once? Well, you can do it one at a time, but should any Minotaurs sacrifice themselves to the Conflux, you will most likely be destroyed by the beefed-up Oracle that will spawn shortly there-after. After your teams emerge from the portals with the Relics in hand, they will have to super the center conflux together while assisting the team in keeping the minotaurs from reaching it. Two charges a piece should take down the Conflux and move you on to the final battle.

Phase 2: Taking the Throne

Surely you know what to do here. Many strategies work, but it is whichever you can execute with the greatest precision that will triumph in the end. Just keep in mind these few things.

1. Split up into two teams of three. Home team opens portals and kills Supplicants as fast as possible. Away team is pulled into the portal and must destroy the ADS and Oracles within before they are destroyed and consumed by the Darkness. Both jobs are difficult in their own way, so make sure to change up the teams as needed.

2. Atheon takes bonus damage during Time's Vengeance. Light him the hell up as long as you can.

3. During Time's Vengeance Supers, Grenades, and other special abilities will have extremely short cooldowns. The Relic is also affected (Keep in mind that the Relic's Cleanse is also a deflective shield that will allow you to shoot out, but keep enemies from shooting in).

4. Upon being sent into the portal, your teams will encounter a detainment shield. Take care of it quickly because the rest of the fight will still happen just as blindingly fast as before.

Loot

Vault of Glass Loot

• In addition to normal VoG loot, player can acquire the Exotic Fusion Rifle Vex Mythoclast and Legendary Jumpship Aspect of Glass, which is available to Hard Mode only.